Hands-On Activities

Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time Craft a Fun England Tower Guard

September 21, 2022 | Leave a Comment
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Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time book #4 has many topics but one is the Elizabethan period. If your child is loving the Geronimo Stilton books, your child will love making a fun England Tower Guard craft.

We’ll travel back to Elizabethan Times, specifically 1595, with the third story in Geronimo Stilton Lost in Time The Fourth Journey.

It begins with a visit with Queen Elizabeth I.

Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time Craft a Fun England Tower Guard

As usual Geronimo gives us a great look at the time period through maps, images of fashion, buildings, vocabulary, and famous people such as Sir Francis Drake and Queen Elizabeth.

Take a look at the rich clothing from the time period.

There were ruffles, lace, ribbons, fancy cuffs, and collars.

I love that this fun series of Geronimo Stilton books because they always include important historical details to make it real to kids.

Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time Craft

The Queen’s Guard (or King’s, depending on who the reigning monarch is) did not come about for another 200 years after Elizabeth I ‘s time.

But I thought it would be fun to draw some comparisons to Elizabethan England and modern England with these cute little figures.

They can be used as a bookmark, pointer to keep your place while reading, or as a little puppet.

Even if you are not reading Geronimo Stilton, this is a fantastic simple craft to do during any England unit study.

And this simple craft can be done by a wide range of ages.

You can set out photos of the guard and supplies and let your child take the lead to allow for process art rather than product art, this is especially good for younger children to experience.

Facts about Elizabethan England and Modern England

This is a great time to study England with the passing of the Queen, to study how her country honors her, to learn about the line of secession, what life was like during the reign of the first Queen Elizabeth and current times, and more.

Here are some fun facts to share to get you started on your mini unit study journey.

Share them over tea or while your child colors or creates these fun tower guards while using Geronimo Stilton Lost in Time The Fourth Journey.

Fun Facts about England Then and Now

The Elizabethan Period lasted for 45 years.
The capital of England is London.
Queen Elizabeth I never married or had children.
The Elizabethan Era is famous for its works by William Shakespeare.
Elizabeth I was the daughter of King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn.
The last king to reign prior to Queen Elizabeth II’s death was George VI.
Queen Elizabeth II was England’s longest reigning monarch at 70 years on the throne.
Charles is now the king of England and wife Camilla will be known as Queen Consort.
The Tower Guard consists of one officer, six non-commissioned officers and fifteen soldiers.
The longest river in England is The River Thames.
The English drink more tea than any other nation.
There were over 400 years between Queen Elizabeth I and II.
Both queens were 25 years old when they took over the throne.
Elizabeth I’s younger brother Edward VI was actually the last King of England, Elizabeth II’s father Edward I was the last king of the United Kingdom consisting of the joined kingdoms of England and Wales.

You can use any subtopic in the book to engage your child.

The Big Ben you see in the photos came from the Safari Ltd Around The World Toob and is a must to add to sensory bin or dioramas when studying famous places or landmarks around the world.

How to Make an England Tower Guard Craft

Next, look at the easy supplies to make this fun England tower guard crafts.

You will need:

Jumbo popsicle sticks
Red, black, white, gold craft paint
Black felt
Craft glue
Small paintbrushes

Trace around the top of your jumbo craft stick a little larger than the actual stick and about 2” down to create the hat. Set aside.

Leave the top ¼ unpainted.

Paint the rest half red up top for the jacket and black on the bottom half for their trousers.

Let dry completely. You can flip it over and do the other side if you like or paint it a solid color to make it look more finished off.

Use a paint pen or the back end of a small brush to add details like gold buttons, eyes, a white belt and gold buckle to your guard.

Let it dry again.

Glue the hat into place just above the eyes and let it dry a final time.

If you use hot glue it will be ready to use much quicker.

Other Geronimo Stilton Resources

Look at these other craft ideas to go with the Geronimo Stilton Books.

Whether you want to do a literature unit study or easy history unit study, these are great books to use for both.

You can use your tower guard to hold your spot between reading sessions, to follow along the line as you read or for play time.

Learning about England then and now is a great way discover what has remained the same, what has changed, and how different countries governments rule.

Pregnancy Belly Female Study of Human Anatomy Kids Fun Craft

September 19, 2022 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

The human body is a fascinating study and so is the pregnancy belly. Today, in my female study of human anatomy I’m sharing a fun craft. Also I have this Human Body Crafts page for more fun ideas.

Coming soon is a Human Reproduction and Development Free Unit Study for Big Kids homeschool lapbook that I know you’ll love.

To begin any study of human anatomy, it can be easier to talk to your kids by letting them make a hands-on craft.

Whether you want to cover a full anatomy unit study, or it is time to talk deeper about sex and reproduction you’ll want a relaxed approach.

Pregnancy Belly Female Study of Human Anatomy Kids Fun Craft

Plus, I never shy away here from important topics for our kids.

So, if you’re teaching about puberty, pregnancy, conception, reproduction or similar topics, this hands-on activity makes it incredibly easy to understand.

And makes it a bit more real for your kids.

This project gently introduces the beauty of babies and female development.

It can easily be adjusted to your comfort level, your child’s maturity, and what you want to cover.

How a Baby Grows Resources

To give your middle schooler a little better idea of where and how a baby grows during pregnancy and how the body changes you can provide them with a fun activity.

It takes a little of the pressure off you both.

Even a too cool for school middle schooler will enjoy the relaxing and fun break from worksheets to dig into playdough.

Here are a few books you can add to this activity to round out the reproduction unit study.

If you don’t already have some of your own that you like, these books can be used for more than just a reproduction topic.

So, your kids will get a lot of use out of them.

Basher Science Human Body book has a small section in the beginning on several good terms such as man and woman, baby, sperm, egg, cell, stem cell, and DNA.

The series is a good reference tool for covering the topic. While the books are a little silly they are recommended for ages 10 and up and make a great addition to a middle school bookshelf.

The Fascinating Human Body Book may be a little young for your middle schooler.

However, depending on the maturity level it may be just right.

It covers small chunks of many different topics and has great illustrations.

Finally, the Anatomicum book is great anytime you are doing a study of any part of anatomy.

It is a handy reference book to add to your shelf permanently because it has beautifully illustrated diagrams on male and female.

Human Body Crafts

Reproduction Female Study of Anatomy

Next, look at this easy hands-on pregnancy belly craft. It requires a few easy ingredients.

Playdough in several colors
A Paper and pen
Plastic mini baby or tiny doll.

We got a bag of these adorable lifelike babies to use in our unit study. They were a little pricey, but we plan to use many of them in different ways.

Start by looking up photos of the female reproductive system and recreate the female reproductive organs with playdough.

You could then have your child label the various parts like fallopian tubes and uterus. Be as detailed or as general as you like.

Use this opportunity to demonstrate the path of the egg with a pointer (or pencil) and how a period is your body’s response to an egg not being fertilized.

Next research Google photos or a book of a cross section for a basic outline of the female body.

Have your child draw a basic outline of a pregnant female body. This gives them a rough shape to work on and helps to create a visual of where organs and systems are in relation to each other.

I found it easy to start by making the outline of the uterus and making sure our little baby fit inside it first then worked my way out with the other organs.

Roll playdough into snakes and coil to make the small and large intestines. Then bunch them up.

Too, you’ll want to add these other human body or anatomy resources.

Other Anatomy and Human Body Resources

Then continuing with the craft. Your child can make each system a different color if he or she likes. That makes for a great visual overall for all the systems of the body.

If your focus is just on reproduction, just make those organs a particular color and all others something else.

Be sure to show how as the baby grows and the uterus expands organs are shifted and pressed affecting everything.

Everything doesn’t have to be in proportion.

You just want them to understand the general makeup of the body and where it is in relation to each other as well as how and where the baby grows.

You might also have them recreate a sperm and egg with playdough as you talk about the job of each.

In addition, understanding X and Y chromosomes are a very important part of reproduction.

If you are at the point of teaching it, you could also demonstrate how the baby’s head eventually turns downward.

And explain the path it takes as it is delivered demonstrating how the body opens and adjusts naturally to allow this to happen.

Human reproduction and development are not easy subject to talk about with kids of any age.

It’s an amazing and complex process which leads to the birth of a human being.

And I hope having this easy hands-on lesson will help you to make this topic a little easier to teach to your kids.

What do you think?

Apples Unit How to Make a Fall Kids Garland Apple Craft

September 16, 2022 | 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

If you’re doing an apples unit, your kids will love making this fall garland craft. Add this hands-on craft to my fall unit apple study for a study for multiple ages.

Bring some nature into your learning space or for home decor while your child works on fine motor skills.

Too for an apple unit your child can work on artistic expression and just have fun learning about apples and all of fall’s wonderful aromas.

Apples, cinnamon, and pinecones are some of the warmest and coziest symbols of fall.

They make you immediately think of cooler temperatures, crunchy leaves, and nature walks.

The natures colors are a perfect way to usher in fall.

Apples Unit How to Make a Fall Kids Garland Apple Craft

Incorporate the fall garland apple craft into a simple fall unit study or create it as a stand-alone fall craft with your kids.

Middle schoolers will easily be able to do the entire craft on their own.

Younger kids will need a bit more help with the oven, knife, and hot glue gun.

Add other fall items like leaves, acorns, twigs, or similar items from your fall nature walks if you like.

12 Things to Make From Apples

While making your fall garland apple craft, talk about all the various things that you can make from apples.

Here are 12 things to make from apples. You can easily stretch this unit study to a full cooking unit.

Apple cider vinegar
Apple pie
Apple dumplings
Candied apples
Dried apple rings
Apple crisp
Apple turnovers
Apple Sauce
Apple Butter
Apple juice
Apple cider
Apple muffins

Expand learning by having a taste test and try as many of the above apple forms as you can.

Have your child rate the flavor of each one, take a poll of the family, friends, and neighbors to see what is their favorite apple treat.

Then, create an apple graph for a bit of math.

Also use both Farm Anatomy and Nature Anatomy have a couple of pages on apples and make great books to keep in your home library for many topics.

They are known for their pretty illustrations and fantastic information on a wide variety of themes within a topic.

How to Make a Fall Garland

Next, make a fun fall garland. Here are some supplies:

Apples. Gala and Granny Smiths are a favorite for baking.
Pinecones. If you aren’t able to harvest them locally you can get a bag at the craft store.
Unfinished wood beads.
Cinnamon Sticks- in the grocery or seasonal aisle at craft stores.
Twine.
Lemon juice.
Salt.

Even using some fall colorful wooden beads would be pretty to add to it.

First, dry your apples.

Preheat your oven to 200℉.

First, you are going to want to slice your apples.

Instead of cutting them horizontally across the apple the way we did in our dried apple slice recipe we are going to cut these vertically down through the top.

Start on either side of the stem so you get a good cross section view.

Fill a bowl with cold water, add 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of table salt.

And soak your slices for 10 minutes.

Lay the apple slices on a metal rack then place it on a baking sheet.

Bake for 2-4 hours or longer until completely dried.

Once your apples are dried you can begin to create a pattern on your twine.

Decide how long you want it to be.

Place your first piece all the way to the end of this length by sliding it over the twine through a hole, hot glue in place, or tie a knot around it.

Continue the pattern all the way to the end until your garland is as long as you like it to be.

Other Fall and Apple Unit Study Crafts

Then, add some more fun fall and apple unit study crafts.

What do you think? Add a few of them to your learning area and you’ll have the smell of fall year long.

Dried Apple Crafts: Hands-on Fun Shrunken Head Apple Craft for Kids

September 15, 2022 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

If your kids love dried apple crafts, they’ll love this fun fall shrunken head apple activity. Add this hands-on craft to my fall unit apple study or to my BEST Westward Ho Unit Study and Lapbook.

Fall immediately turns my mind to cooler temps, pumpkins, and of course apples.

It is a great time of year to talk about harvest.

Dried Apple Crafts: Hands-on Fun Shrunken Head Apple Craft for Kids

You can ask your kids what fruit is in season during the fall season, where it’s grown and even gather a list of uses for it.

Today it’s apples. They’re yummy to eat but also great for a wide variety of crafts like this fun shrunken apple head.

Do you remember making shrunken heads as a child? It’s such a fun activity to do and you don’t have to necessarily set aside a few weeks to do one.

Also, you can use this dried apple craft to supplement a Johnny Appleseed, Pioneer study or a Colonial study.

In addition, you can turn it into a cute mini scarecrow.

Provide your child some yarn, fur, fabric, and other craft items.

Then encourage them to make period appropriate clothes for whatever topic you choose. Give them total free rein to create.

Other Ways to Use the Dried Shrunken Apple Head

Our shrunken apple head is a replica of Johnny Appleseed wearing the tin pot hat.

He is often depicted as wearing a tin pot hat.

We made a quick hat with some tin foil out of the pantry.

Here is one fun fact about Johnny Appleseed.

He didn’t wear a pot on his head. Look at the book Who Was Johnny Appleseed?

But he did prefer a tin hat believed to look like a baseball cap with a very long front brim to protect his eyes while working which likely doubled as his cookpot.

Also, we made a Daniel Boone apple head complete with a fur hat made with some scrap craft fur we had.

And here is a fun fact about Daniel Boone. He is also often pictured wearing a hat which he didn’t actually wear.

Although Daniel Boone is shown in a furry raccoon hat, he preferred a wide brimmed beaver hat Quaker-style.

How to Make a Shrunken Apple Head

Now, make your own fun apple head craft.

Look at these materials you’ll need:

Apples
Apple peeler
Paring or other small knife
Assorted craft items for decorating

First, fill a bowl with cold water, add several tablespoons of lemon juice and a tablespoon of salt. Stir well.

Peel your apples right up to the stem and then cut out the stem.

Pop the apples into the water mixture and let them sit until you are ready to carve.

Take a small knife and carve out your features.

I found it easier to outline everything with a shallow groove.

And then begin in the middle at the nose and work my way outward to get a face shape, thinning out cheeks, forehead, etc. as I went.

You don’t have to spend too much time on the details as the shrinking will take most of the detail away.

Just give it a noticeable nose, eyes, and mouth.

For younger children you can give them a plastic knife or even a spoon to carve safely

You may even outline the features for them and let them scoop it out.

Once you are done place your apple head back in the water bath and allow it to sit for 10 minutes.

There are a couple of ways you can dry your apple head.

First, let it air dry by placing them in a dry area.

Too much humidity will cause them to mold. This method takes the longest- 3 to 4 weeks to fully dry out.

Second, the oven dry method is easier. This method is much quicker and lessens the chances of mold if dried all the way through.

But it requires you to run the oven all day, it may take a full 24 hours to dry it out.

Preheat oven to 200℉. Place your apples on a shallow baking pan with a rack.

This allows the air to circulate all the way around, drying it faster and more evenly.

Other Fall and Apple Unit Study Ideas

Next, look at these other resources and crafts for a fall unit study or apple unit study.

Continue on with your craft.

Once fully dry, it will have shrunk to less than half its original size.

You can add a bit more character with paint, markers, fabric, yarn, or other craft items.

Set out a bunch of craft items and let your child go crazy with their imagination.

You can decorate just the head or add some sticks and wire to form a body. I love the character that the shriveled little faces have.

To make a tin foil hat I just wrapped a piece around the end of the roll to form it and then adjusted it when I added it to the apple, twisting one corner into a handle.

We also made a redheaded lady with a little bit of yarn. Who do you think she is? Lucille Ball? Queen Elizabeth?

What will you use your shrunken apple head craft to create? A famous hero from history? A scary scarecrow?

Share yours with me. I’d love to see what your kids create.

The Geronimo Stilton Series: Make a Fun Edible Coral Reef

September 10, 2022 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, for book Number 29 Down and Out Down Under of the Geronimo Stilton series, we’re making an edible coral reef. The Geronimo Stilton books are for ages 7 to 10 years old and are full of mouse fun and adventure.

In the Geronimo Stilton series book Down and Out Down Under, Geronimo is off to learn on adventure to Australia.

The Geronimo Stilton Series: Make a Fun Edible Coral Reef

And when you think of Australia you may immediately picture cute koalas and terrifying crocodiles but another famous and very important part of Australia is The Great Barrier Reef.

The idea for creating this fun hands-on coral reef is from our latest read which is Down and Out Down Under (Geronimo Stilton #29).

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World and is teeming with incredible life, color, and beauty.

The story covers a lot of topics of interest in Australia.

This fun book mentions land animals, Uluru, Aborigines, topography, and the Great Barrier Reef .

Great Barrier Reef Resources

Today’s hands-on activity is fun, colorful, and a great way to teach all ages about the life that is in the Great Barrier Reef.

If you want to make an impact, hands-on activities are always the best way to fully immerse your kids into your topic.

This hands-on fun activity also appeals to all 5 senses and will make certain that your kids do not forget while they learned anytime soon.

Besides Down and Out Down Under (Geronimo Stilton #29) here are a few beautifully illustrated spines you may want to add to your library.

They are great basics that give great bites of information about the ocean, reefs, ocean animals and plants, and more.

Ocean Anatomy . I am such a big fan of the illustrations in these books but also how much information is contained in each topic. This one covers everything from why the ocean is blue and salty to tides, animal life, and even a section on The Great Barrier Reef specifically!

I am such a big fan of the illustrations in these books but also how much information is contained in each topic.

This one covers everything from why the ocean is blue and salty to tides, animal life, and even a section on The Great Barrier Reef specifically

Facts About the Great Barrier Reef

:Next, here are a few facts to share about the The Great Barrier Reef.

The Great Barrier Reef, located off of the eastern coast of Australia, is the longest coral reef in the world.
It is home to 1500 species of tropical fish and 400 finds of hard and soft coral
The reef serves as a protective habitat for many other forms of marine life.
One of the threats to reefs is coral bleaching.
Crown-of-thorns starfish is one of the predators to the reef which feeds on the soft coral polyps.
A coral reef is a fragile ecosystem which requires very specific conditions. The water must be warm (between 69-84 F) and relatively shallow (to depths of 60-100 ft).
Coral reefs exist in shallow waters because they depend on photosynthesis for food production. Photosynthesis is the chemical process by which plants capture sunlight and convert it, along with water and carbon dioxide into energy.

While your child designs their own little slice of sea life you can talk about the various life that lives here, what is being done to preserve it and where its located.

Next, look at how to make this fun hands-on edible coral reef.

How to Make an Edible Reef

Here is a list of some things we used. Your list can vary depending on what you use for plants and animals

One half sheet cake or a boxed cake mix
Vanilla wafers
Assorted candy – airheads, licorice whips, swedish fish, cookies, sprinkles and white chocolate pretzels
Icing in various colors or food coloring for your own icing

Bake your cake according to package directions and allow to cool completely.

Flip pan to carefully remove cake and cut ⅓ of the cake off.

Flip over the two pieces and stack the smaller one on top of the other.

And because reefs have overhangs and caves, you can make some nooks and caves by digging out some of the cake.

Add a little food coloring to the frosting and stir. Use any shade you like to create your base.

Carefully ice all over the cake making different blobs and creating different textures creating the base mound of your coral.

You want it to look like big rocks.

Cut up airheads, licorice ropes and other candies to create colorful coral and push in all over the cake.

Broken white chocolate pretzels make nice coral.

Use the heat from your hands to soften Airheads or other taffy and make some fan coral for your reef.

Also, you could create a makeshift piping bag by putting warm wax into a sandwich bag, cut off a small corner and squeeze to make coral shapes onto wax paper.

Allow to cool and harden then remove carefully from waxed paper.

Finally, add in some fun sea creatures and you can add some fun decorations.

These are from obviously these are not edible.

Be sure to wash them well before using to disinfect them and keep your cake safe.

And you’ll love these other Geronimo Stilton.

Other Geronimo Stilton Resources:

Too, you’ll love the ocean and coral reef resources I have here.

Hands-On Activities

Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time Craft a Fun England Tower Guard

Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time Craft

Facts about Elizabethan England and Modern England

Fun Facts about England Then and Now

How to Make an England Tower Guard Craft

Other Geronimo Stilton Resources

Pregnancy Belly Female Study of Human Anatomy Kids Fun Craft

How a Baby Grows Resources

Human Body Crafts

Reproduction Female Study of Anatomy

Other Anatomy and Human Body Resources

Apples Unit How to Make a Fall Kids Garland Apple Craft

12 Things to Make From Apples

How to Make a Fall Garland

Other Fall and Apple Unit Study Crafts

Dried Apple Crafts: Hands-on Fun Shrunken Head Apple Craft for Kids

Other Ways to Use the Dried Shrunken Apple Head

How to Make a Shrunken Apple Head

Other Fall and Apple Unit Study Ideas

The Geronimo Stilton Series: Make a Fun Edible Coral Reef

Great Barrier Reef Resources

Facts About the Great Barrier Reef

How to Make an Edible Reef

Other Geronimo Stilton Resources:

Ocean and Coral Reef Resources

Categories

Archives

Hands-On Activities

Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time Craft

Facts about Elizabethan England and Modern England

Fun Facts about England Then and Now

How to Make an England Tower Guard Craft

Other Geronimo Stilton Resources

How a Baby Grows Resources

Human Body Crafts

Reproduction Female Study of Anatomy

Other Anatomy and Human Body Resources

12 Things to Make From Apples

How to Make a Fall Garland

Other Fall and Apple Unit Study Crafts

Other Ways to Use the Dried Shrunken Apple Head

How to Make a Shrunken Apple Head

Other Fall and Apple Unit Study Ideas

Great Barrier Reef Resources

Facts About the Great Barrier Reef

How to Make an Edible Reef

Other Geronimo Stilton Resources:

Ocean and Coral Reef Resources

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